Final answer:
Cheating is obtaining an unfair advantage in an academic context, which includes plagiarism and misrepresentation of facts. It undermines trust in professional fields and is a major issue in universities, with many students admitting to such behaviors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cheating is considered an action that entails getting an unfair advantage in an academic setting, such as during a test or in the submission of assignments. It can manifest in various forms, one of which is plagiarism, where an individual presents someone else's work or ideas as their own without proper acknowledgment. Another form is the misrepresentation of facts, which involves distorting the truth or data to deceive others. Additionally, aiding or encouraging others to engage in such dishonest acts is also considered cheating and a breach of academic integrity.
Instances of cheating can have broader societal impacts, leading to mistrust in various professional fields if individuals obtain qualifications dishonestly. This can be particularly detrimental in critical industries where expertise is a matter of public safety and well-being, such as in medicine or engineering. It's worthy to note that academic institutions take cheating and plagiarism seriously, with many universities reporting high occurrences of these acts among students, according to the International Center for Academic Integrity.